Venom and Sugar
by Yotsubadancesintherain5
Summary: It's been ten years since the Monsters were freed but there's still a lot to learn about the world. Part 19 of the Yotsuba & Frisk series.


The door opened to the slight chill of early April, Yotsuba pushing it forward. She called out that she was leaving, hearing no answer. "Dad must still be asleep," she thought, and she closed the door. She checked her school bag to be sure everything was there; homework, pencils and pens, notebooks and her sketchbook. Yotsuba closed the bag, satisfied everything was there, and headed off to school.

It was the last year before high school, and though she had just started she was excited for graduation.

She waved to the Ayase house for anybody that was there and walked with purpose down the street. She didn't get very far before she spotted one of her friends.

"Frisk!" Yotsuba called out, and they turned around. She ran up to them and said, "Good morning!"  
She had to tilt her head up a bit. They had gotten much taller than her.

Frisk signed, "Good morning." The two began to walk together.

"It's our last year," Yotsuba said, hoping that would be a conversation starter. "Are you nervous?"

They shook their head and pulled on the strap of their bag to readjust it.

"I really hope all of our friends can go to the same high school," Yotsuba said, "If we're all together for three years it'll be a dream."

She began to count off names of friends that went to her school, and Frisk added on to it, starting with Monster Kid and ending with Mii.

"Oh, I forgot to ask if Maki can go to your birthday party," Yotsuba said. "I'll ask her today, okay?"

Frisk nodded and signed, "It's no worries. There's still a month."

"And you're gonna be fifteen," Yotsuba said, grinning as she poked at their arm. "It'll be ten years since we met."

Frisk put their hand on the top of her head and Yotsuba tried to do the same to them. She barely managed to graze one of their bangs.

The two split off at train station and gave their good-byes for the time being. Yotsuba got her ticket and made it onto the train, managing to find a seat. The videos on the walls had commercials of the new stationary shop in Emaimachi.

Yotsuba had high hopes for the day.

The day passed on normally, and Yotsuba learned that Maki had to visit her family on the day of Frisk's birthday. Maki passed along her present and Yotsuba put it safely in her school bag.

There was no art club that day so Yotsuba decided to head home. She found a letter in her outdoor shoes to go to the music room. Having an inkling of what this meant, Yotsuba held onto the letter and walked to the second floor to the music room.

She opened the door and looked around, finding that one of the boys from another classroom, Ichiro, was in there. He stood up from his seat and fixed his hair, standing stiffly.

"Hello," Yotsuba said. She pointed at the letter in her hand. "This was for me, right?"

"It was," Ichiro said. "Koiwai, I think you're cute. And I want to go out with you."

Yotsuba was taken a little aback by the honesty. She was expecting hemming and hawing. She closed her mouth and thought. Ichiro seemed nice and he had the guts to be that blunt. That was a good sign, or at least she thought so. She read that somewhere.

"I like your honesty," Yotsuba blurted out. She shifted her shoulders. "So I would… like to go out with you."

Ichiro smiled. "Okay. There's a detective movie that I think you would like. Do you want to see it next week? Saturday?"

"I would," Yotsuba said. Those were always fun to watch. "What time?"

"The movie starts at twelve. It's showing at the theatre in the plaza – do you know where that is?"

"I do," Yotsuba said. "It's a date then."

They walked out together and went their separate ways. Yotsuba felt a little disorientated, like she had just gotten off a roller coaster.

She thought she would be more enthusiastic about it. Yotsuba tried to think of why that might be when she was on the train but nothing seemed to come up. When she was nearby the Ayase house she found it in herself to skip a little. Nobody at the Ayase house was there, and when she walked into her house she found that her dad wasn't there.

"Are you grocery shopping?" Yotsuba called out to an empty house. She left her school bag in her room, along with the letter. She decided to go to Frisk's house, taking a bag of candy with her as she left.

When she got there Toriel opened the door and said, "Hello, Yotsuba," warmly.

"Hello," she replied. "Is Frisk home?"

"No, they just left with Sans to the grocery store," Toriel said.

"Maybe they'll meet dad there," Yotsuba joked. "I have news, so is it okay if I wait until they come back to tell it?"

"Of course, my dear," Toriel said. She closed the door as Yotsuba took off her shoes. "I was cooking dinner. Perhaps you could help me?"

"I will," Yotsuba said. She held up the bag of candy. "I'll just be a moment. Oh and here's Frisk's present from Maki." She put it on a table.

"All right. And thank you." Toriel ran her hand along Yotsuba's hair as she walked past.

Yotsuba put her shoes away and walked past the kitchen to the tatami room. She slide the door open and closed it behind her, walking over to the family altar.

She placed the bag of candy in front of it and whispered conspiratorially, "I can tell you all the news right now."

She looked around and said, "I have a boyfriend."

The reactions to this didn't have a lot of variety, save for two - where Ena remarked that Fuuka would've been jealous that Yotsuba already had a boyfriend at her age. The other was Yanda laughing and saying that the brat was growing up. Yotsuba brought up his receding hairline which made him stop teasing her.

The Saturday came by quickly and Yotsuba's dad asked for her to invite Ichiro to dinner after the movie. She agreed and headed out, taking an umbrella because rain was beginning to fall.

She waited for two hours for him to arrive. Yotsuba decided to go home when she realized the movie was probably over at that point. She would ask Ichiro what happened at school.

When she got home her dad was going out to drop off paperwork and Yotsuba went to sketch out the newest adventure for Danbo. Miura had told her the truth a long time ago, accidentally, so Yotsuba wanted him to live on in her stories.

The rain continued to patter, and when Yotsuba spared a glance at the window she saw Frisk walking by her house. Their clothes were soaked, and for some reason their jacket was wrapped around their head.

She opened the window and yelled their name, causing them to look up.

"Come inside," Yotsuba called, "You'll freeze."

Frisk pointed at the road.

"I know your house is right there but Toriel's gonna be worried sick if you show up all soaked! Come on!"

Frisk shrugged and walked to the entrance, heading up to Yotsuba's room. Yotsuba brought out some of her clothes and eyed the jacket still wrapped around Frisk's head.

"You look like a pirate," Yotsuba said. She looked closer and saw small spots of dried blood on the jacket.

She held out the clothes, looking at Frisk straight in the eye. They fidgeted, eventually peeling off the jacket. It was covering up their black eye.

"Frisk, what happened?" Yotsuba gasped.

Frisk glanced away, cracking under her gaze after a while. "Got into a fight with bullies; they were picking on someone," they signed. "I managed to chase them off with dancing."

"Ah," said Yotsuba. "I guess Danbo's cousin taught you well."

Frisk smiled at her joke. Yotsuba inspected the front of the jacket, seeing the pinpoint droplets.

"Nobody made you bleed, right?" she asked. "'Cause if they did…"

They pointed at their lower lip, which had a small cut. "I accidentally bit my lip when I was dancing," Frisk signed.

"Ah," Yotsuba said. She handed them the clothes and took their jacket to lightly wash it.

She offered to walk them home, which they agreed to. Toriel was worried when she first saw Frisk but was calmed when the situation was explained.

On Monday, Ichiro met her at the school entrance sporting a black eye as well. He apparently missed their movie date because he was suddenly jumped by bullies. But another kid jumped in and chased off the bullies with dancing.

"That was my friend, Frisk," Yotsuba said. "They told me about it. Did they leave after they saw you were safe?"

"Yeah," said Ichiro. "I'm sorry I missed the date. And tell your friend thank you."

"I will." As Yotsuba walked to class she felt better about him.

After school that day Yotsuba invited Ichiro to come with her to visit the Ayase's home, which he agreed to. When they arrived Yotsuba let herself in and called out for anybody that could be there.

"I'm in the kitchen," Ena's answered, and Yotsuba and Ichiro entered the house.

"Ena," Yotsuba said as they walked into the kitchen. Ena was putting away a stack of plates. "This is…" She couldn't remember Ichiro's last name.

"Ichiro," he said. "It's nice to meet you."

Yotsuba thought this was a little bold.

"Nice to meet you," said Ena. "I'm Ayase Ena." She gestured to the table.

"Oh, Yotsuba," Ena said as they sat down, "Asgore was just here a little while ago."

"I just missed him? Aw." Yotsuba hadn't seen him since Alphys and Undyne's wedding. "How was he?"

"Doing well," Ena said. "He dropped this book off. Alphys wanted him to deliver it since he was coming to Emaimachi today."

She showed them the book, one with a serious cover that denoted that it was written by a doctor named Mihama Chiyo. Yotsuba took through it to leaf through a little.

"Alphys was right," Ena said, "It is a good read. Everything is really detailed, but I like the one on the iriomote cat the most."

Yotsuba handed it back and was about to ask her about university but Ichiro beat her to it.

"What are you studying in university?"

"Eco-science," Ena replied. Realization crossed her face and she got up and brought out snacks and drinks.

Ichiro and Ena were engrossed in a discussion about university life, Yotsuba too nervous in hoping that Ena would like him to join in. At some point Yotsuba got up to use the restroom.

When she headed back down the hallway she heard Ichiro say something that sounded like, "I don't have to clean up my own trash. It's not my house."

Her eyebrows furrowing, Yotsuba poked her head in and said pointedly, "It's rude to leave your garbage in someone's house, Ichiro."

He looked taken aback at her voice. Slowly he looked away from her to Ena, a tense silence over the room.

"You're right," he said just as slow. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Ena said.

But the conversation was not as light. When it was time to leave Ichiro did clean up his own trash, which Yotsuba quietly reassured herself meant that his apology was sincere.

It was Frisk that suggested Ichiro come to their birthday party. It was, as they explained, a way for him to get to know everyone Yotsuba knew.

The day came quickly, on a sunny day in May. When Yotsuba, her dad and Ichiro walked into the place the party was, Grillby's, there were already many Humans and Monsters there. Undyne was in the middle of giving Frisk fifteen birthday punches.

Yotsuba went to place the card and present over to a table full of them. On the top she saw one from Asagi and Torako. It probably also contained pictures of their recent photography trip. Last time was filled with scenic views of windmills and waterfalls.

Everyone settled in comfortably at booths or tables with plenty of food to choose from. Ichiro loudly declared his hatred of fish, which got drowned out by the general chatter.

"Where is your friend?" Ichiro asked after he finally filled his plate with non-fish related food.

"Over there," Yotsuba said, pointing at one of the booths. "That's Frisk. And Toriel, who is next to them, is their mom."

"Frisk is adopted?" Ichiro asked. At Yotsuba's nod he made a face. "I don't know why you're friends with then. Adopted kids are always-"

"I'm adopted." She didn't mean for her voice to come out so clipped.

"Oh. Well," Ichiro said. "Then that explains why you two are friends."

"It doesn't," Yotsuba wanted to say but she bit her tongue instead.

"You want to meet them, right?"

"What?"

"I mean, where are your _real_ parents?" Ichiro asked.

Yotsuba felt her breath catch in her throat. She forced herself to swallow the air and smiled. "My real parents are dad. And mom."

"Your mom doesn't seem to be around."

"She's Mrs. Ayase." Yotsuba concentrated on the tempura in front of her.

"What about Frisk? Where are their real parents?" Ichiro asked.

Yotsuba grabbed at a piece of tempura with her chopsticks and let it drop onto her plate. "Their mom is Toriel," she said firmly.

"Well. It must be nice to meet someone like me. I'm not weird."

The way he said the word made her stomach churn. She dreaded what he would say next.

"HERE ARE THE ANTICIPATED PORK BUNS!" Papyrus announced over the chatter. He placed the plate in front of Ichiro. "SO DELICIOUS THAT YOU'LL KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!"

Ichiro looked at him strangely. But he did take a pork bun and to Yotsuba's relief he didn't finish his next thought.

She tried to forget what happened at the birthday party. And for a few weeks afterwards it seemed like things were normal with Ichiro. He did say that he didn't like that they spent so much time apart, especially if it was with Frisk.

"You need to choose," he said. "It's me or Frisk."

She had responded by walking away to which he followed her and tried to say it was just a joke. She accepted it as a joke but he still brought it up during the next few days.

One day Yotsuba went to Toriel's house. She, Frisk and Monster Kid were studying together when she brought up Ichiro. Monster Kid said something vague about him being nice, and they seemed to shrink a little. Frisk only stared intently at their paper.

When they were finished Yotsuba said that she had to go home for dinner and said good-bye. She walked down the stairs, brushing her hand over the head of the pumpkin figurine, and heard voices from the kitchen. She heard her name.

"… So you heard it," Toriel said. "It may have been hasty but I am glad you did it, Papyrus."

"he was out of line," Sans said. "what do you think of this kid?"

There was a silence. Yotsuba pressed her back against the wall as she held her breath.

"I am not fond of him," Toriel admitted. "I heard that he was quite rude to Ena. And Mr. Koiwai is worried about Yotsuba."

"i give him one more chance," Sans said.

"I WILL BE BRUTALLY HONEST," Papyrus said as hushed as he could. "DANDELION CAN DO BETTER!"

Yotsuba's eyes drifted to the floor. She quietly headed back down the hall, to the tatami room. She slid the door open and kneeled in front of the family altar. She looked at the articles of clothing and the photograph inside.

"Please," she said quietly to the photograph. "I need to know if I'm doing the right thing."

Dinner with her dad went by quietly. Her dad had cooked not-sticky rice and Yotsuba was still looking at her plate when she finished, thinking.

"Yotsuba," her dad said, making her look up. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, dad," she said, grinning. He still looked concerned. Her dad took the plates and came back with two glasses of juice.

"It's just that," he brought up, "I'm worried about you. About what's going on with Ichiro. Is he making you happy?"

Yotsuba took that moment to drink the juice, making a vague nod. Her dad in turn drank some of his juice. But he wasn't finished talking.

"I want you to be happy, Yotsuba," he said. "I always want you to be happy and comfortable with your life."

"I am happy, dad," she said. "I'm your daughter."

Her dad chuckled. "I'm very happy about that. So you're really okay?"

Yotsuba nodded, more definite.

"Okay," he said. "Now, will you be okay when summer vacation starts? I'm going to be gone in the evening."

"I will," Yotsuba said.

"Remember, the Ayases will be visiting their relatives and Toriel and the others-"

"Will be going to an ambassador meeting," Yotsuba finished. "I'll be okay, dad. If Frisk comes back early they'll come over."

"All right." He walked past with the dirty dishes and ruffled her hair.

The day school went on summer break Ichiro invited Yotsuba to go see a movie, adding that he had something to tell her. He seemed relaxed and happy so she accepted. She dropped off her belongings at her house and he dropped his off at his own, and they met up at the train station. As they walked together Yotsuba thought that everything was looking better.

The train ride to where they were to go was further than the plaza where they had their first-formed date. It was halfway to Edaura station, and Yotsuba made a mental note to visit the beach during break.

When they arrived the movie they wanted to see had run out of tickets. The sun was beginning to set, and Ichiro remarked that they wasted their time.

At his tone, Yotsuba felt her heart drop a little. But she managed a smile and asked him, "What did you want to tell me?"

**A/N: Originally posted on AO3 on May 27 2017**


End file.
